Elvera Smith Cochrell has lived in Maryland most of her life. Born in North Carolina, all of her schooling took place in the Maryland area. She is the mother of three grown children and through her marriage to Joel, she also became the stepmother of three wonderful grown-ups.

As a young child, Elvera delighted in making up stories to tell the neighborhood children. They loved hearing them. Little did she know that this ability was a God given gift. God had given her a voice.

At the age of thirty, Elvera decided to shake off her shyness to explore her stage presence. She performed in numerous community plays. One of which landed her a part in a few Television commercials. She also modeled for small community groups.

Her career spanned from Nursing to that of a Computer Analyst. She never thought of writing as a career, even though many of her works were published in various community newspapers. It wasn’t until she joined a toastmaster’s group that she began to seriously think about her writing skills.

Through the Toastmaster’s club, she was also able to put her voice to her written works. Over the years she saved those thoughts, stories and poems. Her first adult book, A Kaleidoscope of Thoughts, Poems, Short Stories and Other Whimsey, Volume One is a collection of those earlier and some later writings.

In putting her collection of adult readings in volume format, Elvera hoped the readers who like what she has to say and like the different spin she put on the stories she write, will be able to relate to her title and look for the changing volumes. She chose to add the word Kaleidoscope to her title because as one look into a kaleidoscope, the colors keep merging and changing. That is what she attempts to do in her volumes. Look for A Kaleidoscope of Thoughts, Poems, Short Stories and Other Whimsey, Volume Two in the near future.

Her children books are filled with colorful illustrations designed to keep the attentions of her younger audience. Every book carries a message, some not as obvious as others but is designed for the parents who wish to explore the areas of acceptable and non acceptable behavior with their child. Elvera believes you can never start too soon.

Elvera states: “Many of her ‘AH HA!’ moments occurred while spending time at her vacation resort and being at one with nature. For her, the area is like a “Balm in Gilead” and promotes clarity of thought and new revelations which causes her to say: ‘AH HA!’ as she write down her thoughts.”

Look for her book: Another Look at Old Tales and Rhymes and The Trial of the Big ‘Bad’ Wolf in Children format and The Autobiography of Rumpelstilskin – Broken Promises, Kept Promises for the young and young at heart.